Read Bonded: Book One of the ShadowLight Saga, an Epic Fantasy Adventure for Free Online

landslide, sucking
him under.
     

Chapter 7
     
     
    Emma awoke. Sleep still blurred her vision. Trying to sit
upright caused the contents of the strange room to spin. Her stomach lurched
and she sunk back down into the comfort beneath her.
    Where am I?
    Fragments popped in and out of her memory. The forest. Erik.
A strange woman. A cold blackness. Strong arms grabbing her, squeezing her
until she hurt. As she strained to remember, her thoughts dissipated like smoke
in the evening air. Emma struggled to grasp at them. They eluded her, shrouded
in a wall of haze.
    The girl rubbed her sore eyes with the backs of her hands,
clearing her sight. A velvety material tickled her skin. A brief inspection of
her body revealed an unfamiliar gown tightened around her waist; its plunging neckline exposed her modest cleavage.
    Scandalous! If my
mother sees me in this, she’ll flay my hide and hang me out like an old rug.
    Emma tugged the silken
covers over her, trying to hide her shame. The fibers of the blanket caught her
eye. Like the dress, the material revealed no seams as if woven from a single
piece of cloth.
    Emma sat upright. Confusion
fogged her head as she examined her surroundings. White stone composed the
entire room, like a sculpted marble cavern. Scenery was etched into the walls,
portraying fields of flowers, ash and oak trees, and buoyant cloud-dense skies.
Chairs, settees and tables seemed to grow from the floor in one fluid
connection. Scrollwork graced the furniture, blending back into the landscapes
on the walls. The bed’s carved arch stretched over the top of the mattress,
like a fine lace veil. Emma couldn’t imagine such finery in the King of Birka’s
hall. It belonged in a scald’s tale, as the description of Valhalla.
    It’s a dream. That’s
all. A dream.
    The air smelled sweeter
than any she could recall. Colors were more vibrant—her dress a deeper red than
any shade she’d ever seen. The walls shone brighter, the stone was smoother,
blankets softer. Dizziness washed over her again as she tried to reason, but
the barrier of haze returned, blocking any recollection.
    If only I can clear
my mind. Think.
    The door opened. Emma
hadn’t noticed it before, hidden within sculpted landscapes. A man filled its
breadth, his lips stretched in a smile, dark eyes glinting. His frost white
hair shot back from his temples. Tall and limber, he appeared as if he could
bend in all directions without ever breaking a bone. The indigo of his shirt
intertwined with gold. Billowing sleeves depicted a mighty tree digging its
roots into a bubbling spring, deep within the folds of the earth. The symbol
scratched at her memory, but Emma could not place the image. She thought the
emblem should be embroidered, but like the dress and blankets, the design didn't
show any sign of stitches.
    The man gripped two
enormous wolves by the scruffs on either side of him. He seemed annoyed at
holding them back, but Emma sensed their desire to meet her. She smiled
affectionately at the wolves, one silver, and the other onyx. They panted,
pulling away from their master. The man reluctantly let go and they barreled
toward Emma, wagging their tails and licking her face in greeting. She giggled,
rubbing their ears.
    "Enough." The
beasts cowered at the man’s command, slinking back to their master’s side.
    "Welcome,"
said the man as he spread his arms outward. "I hope you find your
accommodations in order."
    Emma caught sight of her
less than maiden-like attire and snatched the blankets tight.
    "Quite hospitable, but
where . . . "
    Her tongue thickened in
her mouth, her voice harsh next to the man’s flowing tone.
    "I am Lothar,
Guardian of Holyfell, second lineage of the house of Heimdal and dyra-sogn, a
caller." His smile turned genuine at the last of his introduction.
    Emma didn’t understand
the strange titles and her nerves bunched.
    Lothar crossed the room,
slippers swishing on the marble floor as he glided. The wolves followed in